THE ENTERTAINMENT BIZ: OSCAR DAY/OSCAR NIGHT (Tomorrow, BBC2, 9.30pm) THIS new series about the entertainment industry looks at the big Oscar night – when the 13-and-a-half inch, gold-plated tin alloy statues of a naked man are officially presented as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award of Merit. With high-profile interviews, behind-the-scenes shots and live commentary, this six-part series paints a vivid portrait of an industry which is now worth a mammoth pounds 45 billion per year. The big day itself throws together stars, fans, journalists, florists, designers, chauffeurs, jewellers, photographers, television crews, and security men and women on a red carpet rollercoaster to success or failure. Dustin Hoffman – surprisingly nominated again this year for Wag The Dog – James Woods and Brenda Blethyn are some of the many film stars interviewed about winning and losing. Other contributors include Holly Hunter, Quentin Tarantino, Mira Sorvino, Mel Gibson, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Anthony Minghella, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Tom Hanks, Bette Midler, Lynn Redgrave, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jr and KevinSpacey.Read More

Bette Midler On The Drama Of Jinxed With Ken Wahl: “Docs he make love to his dog?” Midler asked, innocently.“I was crumbling, drowning.” Midler says. “Sometimes, I’d wake up not able to breathe. I’d have to pound my chest to catch my breath.” She went to an analyst for help in facing the fact that, having chosen both director and co-star, she was largely to blame for what happened. (1989)

Every once in a while a newcomer to the entertainment world creates a stir within the industry. Melissa Manchester is doing that just now and is being heralded as the new Bette Midler.

Bette Midler was hardly the New Barbra Streisand before being stripped of her non-title, Melissa, who just signed with Bell Records, was formerly a backup singer for Bette, which could be why she’s being compared to her.

Theatregoers willing to pay top dollar for the best seats in the house to see Bette Midler’s Broadway return in Hello, Dolly! will shell out $525 for premium tickets at the Shubert Theatre. (Hamilton premium starts at $449 and rose as high as $998 for Thanksgiving Week).

The revival of the Tony-winningJerry Herman classic has been an in-demand ticket since day one. With Midler in the starring role, Dolly raked in $9,082,497 at the box office in its first day of ticket sales, a new Broadway record.Read More